SHARING MY LOVE OF SEWING & OTHER HANDMADE GOODNESS

#SparkSomethingGood – Update

Earlier this week some of the Yorkshire Spoolettes headed into Leeds and volunteered their time to help make syringe driver bags for our local hospitals and hospices. It was part of a big campaign which Marks & Spencers are running for 24 months and heading to different parts of the country, working with lots of different charities having fun and sparking something good within the local communities.

If you want to see if there is anything is happening in your area click HERE to be taken to a website called Neighbourly where you can see what charities need help in your area.

Or if you have a project that needs help, head over and you may be in luck! It’s not just about Marks and Spencers, lots of organisations use Neighbourly.

And here’s the launch video for Spark Something Good from 8 months ago:

I really don’t know how I didn’t know about it already! But I’m so glad that Alex emailed me and I was able to help out along with some other Spoolettes, and the other lovely volunteers.

I wasn’t able to go to the 1st day but those that did broke all records of previous bag making days in other towns and made 121 in only 8 hours!!

Karen went on the first day and I ‘pinched’ a couple of her pics…. Here she is….!

And with Alex…..

I’m surprised they had time for photos after smashing all records and making so many bags!!

On Day 2 I volunteered for 4 hours. Friends were shocked – it was Tuesday our golfing day, the sun was shining and it has to be something special for us to give up our golfing time!

Raring to go at the start of our session with Helen and Alex.

Fiona and Margaret

Helen

Quality control…(only kidding!)

In just over an hour I managed to make 6 bags when a lady approached Julie and asked if we could possibly make a special bag for her that would accommodate a feeder device which she has to carry around for 12 hours today.

Slight pressure then when i needed to come up with something. She told us how big it needed to be, and that it would need a pocket on the front, and a hole above the pocket. No problem!

All the other bags and been pre cut and all we had to do was stitch them up.

This special bag needed to be quite a bit bigger and have a thicker strap for comfort.

There was plenty of spare fabric to be able to make just want the lady needed.

The lady came back just as I was about to finish. I was able to make the strap just the right length and she was chuffed to bits!

Cyber mum arrived for a session too and though it’s been a while since she has dusted off her machine at home she was soon firing on all cylinders and whipped up a few bags!

One of the best bits of the day (and there’s no photo) was the Marks and Spencer’s biscuits that accompanied the coffee!!

This is just a few of the bags we made after the end of our first session.

If you’d like to get involved the bags are really easy to make. HERE’s a link to the Making for Charity Website.

You’ll find downloads of the patterns and also a list of areas across the country who are in need of these bags. But as Julie says on the site, if you’re area isn’t listed she will be able to put you in touch with someone locally who is from your local hospice or hospital where they will be much appreciated. Making for Charity also have a Facebook page. There’s more info on there, and lots of photos from Monday and Tuesday.

I hope this post has inspired you to help out and make one or two. I’m going to make one with the fabric left as I complete each project (it’s it’s suitable). And the Spoolette’s are going to get together every few months (not sure where yet!) and get a bit of a sweat shop going and hopefully make quite a few.

If you’re local to Leeds they can be dropped off at the Briggate M&S store and they will make sure they are passed on.

Before i go, the final total of what all the volunteers did over the 2 days.

Fantastic sewing, Spoolettes! If my maths are correct, you almost tripled the expected production for the day. Well done all!!!
Grand to see CyberMum there as well. Is she “back driving” ? Lol! 😉 Margaret – is that blouse some of your recently acquired fabric?! Ali, how wonderful you were able to meet & accommodate that lovely lady – good for you for rising to the challenge. Giant hugs all round!

Thanks for all your lovely comments Del!
Another story to make you chuckle. I told my work buddy when we were out to lunch last week about mum being able to drive after 6 weeks. She was able to better that. After her dad saw the consultant after a major op’ he was told he could now resume a normal sex life. He’d been a window 20 years!!!! 😳😂😳

Fabulous efforts all round! How good of you to rise to the challenge and make a bespoke one on the spot. Great photos of what was obviously a great day going by all those smiles and talk of M&S biscuits:)

Looks like a great day out and for a brilliant cause. I volunteer at Remade in Edinburgh, so I’ve passed on all the info to the sewing tutor, Cherry and we will try to organise an event when the new premises are ready! So fingers crossed it won’t be too long. Thanks for the inspiration!

Ali, you are amazing!! Such an inspiration, thank you so much for joining us and speaking the word! So so gutted I couldn’t stay longer and have a proper natter. Hoping to maybe catch a spolettes meeting soon! Xxx